Looking For a Place Called Home
by Paradigm of Writing
Summary: On the night before the esteemed Council of Elrond, the captain of Gondor proudly approaches the elven leader on how to find a true home.


**Hey everyone, Paradigm of Writing here with an idea that I thought of awhile back. To me, it always seemed that the Fellowship regarded Boromir with respect** ** _and_** **at the same time with a little... sort of disrespect because he was very enticed with the ring. However, I don't know how anyone else looked at him- Faramir saw him as a brother, Denothor saw him as the next king of Gondor. I wanted to make an interesting idea and see how Lord Elrond of Rivendell viewed the captain. So, please enjoy Looking For A Place Called Home. Extra points if you can guess what TV show the title is from.**

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" _Elves, men, hobbits and dwarves. The four races of the free peoples of Middle-Earth here in one gathering and we haven't murdered each other yet. That's a rather... interesting surprise. Tomorrow, one of these representatives for these four races must embark on a perilous journey to destroy a magical ring that has the capability to annihilate us all. A simple hobbit, a simple hobbit brought that ring to us. Had I known before that he was a descendant of Bilbo... perhaps there is more to this Frodo that meets the eye. And after all these years, Aragorn has returned to mark his return for the kingdom... such events happening at such an alarming rate._ " Elrond thought to himself, overlooking his mythical city.

He closed his eyes and let the chirping of the birds and the buzzing of the insects take him back to a place when light didn't have to combat the darkness. A time when his own daughter did not have to use the power of the Bruninen ford to drive away Mordor's foulest servants. A single moment when a gold, herculean ring didn't debauch men in a single swipe. Middle-Earth was much simpler in those days, even if that time period never really existed. Elrond, although an elf, still sometimes, however reluctantly thought if a period like it ever existed. It would only be a matter of time till war bells chimed and screeched, till the azure waterfalls would run crimson, till the sky faded to a brackish olive and slate mix of blood and fear. Soon, his own sword would see action once more.

Elrond opened his eyes, sensing a disturbance in his atmosphere. Subtle things, such as footsteps and a shifting in the weight of the padding underneath his feet alerted him to changes around him. "You know better than to act surreptitious around me Lord Boromir of Gondor. I am no orc, nor am I a wild man of Dunland. There is no need to be nervous of approaching an elf for a conversation. Unless that's not your intent..."

Boromir's face flushed, a nervous laughter emitting itself from his throat. "No, Lord Elrond. I have come to ask you a question."

Elrond was taken aback by this. He frowned. "Why would a proud man of Gondor ask a question to an elf? You can probably find the answer in the million records your archives hold back at Minas Tirith."

"But I do not believe this answer can be found by looking through a book, nor will my city hold the answer. It's a question that has many answers, and I'd appreciate if you could counsel me on it." Boromir insisted.

"And what is this peculiar question you wish to ask me?"

"How do you find home?" the captain said quickly. After he blurted out, Boromir backed up from the elven king slowly, frightened of the reaction he may have received. For some reason, Boromir expected the grand elven leader to laugh and place his hands on his knees. However, all Elrond did was stare and stare at the esteemed solider.

"Now, why would you ask me a question like that? I mean, there is nothing wrong with it, it is a very good statement to wonder about... but coming from you? Boromir, it's quite strange for a gentleman of honor to ask me that. Many seek my counsel and most walk away beleaguered and confused. I don't know what to make of it. How do you define home?" Elrond asked.

The captain paused, and licked his lips. "I- I don't know. That's why I'm asking you."

Elrond sighed, and rubbed his forehead. "I've been living in Middle-Earth for some time, although I am certainly not the oldest nor the wisest creature to walk these hills. You want to know how to find a home?"

Boromir nodded feverishly. "I'm looking for a place called home, and there's none to be found. I'm like a bat who cannot see in daylight, a hobbit with no party. Battle gives me great strength, I feel as if I'm supposed to be there-"

Elrond cut him off, although he certainly wasn't pleased by it. "There's your answer my good man. You find home in battle."

"But battle doesn't necessarily last forever. It ends, has it's ups and downs. Battle is an action, a scenario that does not stay infinite." Boromir counter-argued.

Elrond opened his mouth to rebuttal, but the Gondorian's words stopped his train of thought in one quick halt. "I suppose so, that is an interesting answer. Well, then find something that stays infinite. Finite things only matter for when you live, for very few things continue on in second and third life's my friend. Is there anything you can think of?"

Boromir rubbed his chin. "I do have one assumption, but it's never really stuck with me. I'm a captain of one of the greatest kingdoms of Men, and I command thousands of troops every day of my adult life. We battle, either party or remorse afterwards depending on the outcome. I don't see my units as soldiers, but friends who have my back, and I must have theirs."

"Then you have a home in your friends."

"But, they can die and drift away from me can't they? It's a loose term, it has little hold," Boromir said, shaking his head back and forth. He rubbed his temples roughly, as if the conversation was giving him a headache."

Elrond remembered back to when Frodo woke up to see Gandalf by his bedside. The bond the two shared was inseparable, the hearty laugh the two shared when the hobbit locked eyes with his wizard friend. He knew they were more than friends, although Gandalf never spoke too much about his other acquaintances except Bilbo. Just the gaze the two held at each other's eyes- sharp, courageous blue, and old, wise gray bonded fiercely.

"Then, it is with family you'll find an eventual home." the elven king spoke, muttering to himself.

"What was that?"

"I said, you will find an eventual home in family." Elrond repeated.

"Family," Boromir scoffed, laughing. "That's a great joke my lord. Family? What family? I have a father who only wishes to use me as a weapon and not a son, a brother who loves me so deeply he forgets about his other duties sometimes... and the two never intermingle with each other."

"Then find a family."

"With whom would that be?"

"Depends," Elrond mused. A light sparked off in his head. "Tomorrow, as you know is the a council we will construct to determine the meaning of this... illustrious ring. Whomever decides to take it will then have to partake on a perilous journey to Mordor, where they must destroy it. It is quite obvious that this person will not be able to do it alone. Perhaps you should join, if you do not offer to put the responsibility on yourself. Maybe you can forge a family with the ones who muster the courage to go."

The esteemed captain of Gondor took a moment to relay the information in his head. "That... that wouldn't sound to bad. I'll think about it till tomorrow, and then you'll know my answer when the time asks for it." Boromir said.

The elf and man looked at each other with an odd term of mutual respect before Boromir fled into the night. Elrond sighed, resting his elbows back on the stone terrace. " _It will yet again be on the slopes of Mount Doom that the fate of Middle-Earth will once again be decided. Ultimately, this burden must involve all of the free peoples, not just one_ ," he thought, looking back at where Boromir once stood. " _Let's just hope that the ones who pick up their fate end it in a matter that does not involve our destruction_."

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 **I hope you all enjoyed this. Thanks for reading guys! Love you all! I'd really appreciate a review, for I don't really drabble in this fandom too often. I don't know what my next story/one-shot will be in this fandom, but know I am not done with this area of fiction yet. Yet again, thanks for reading and I'll see you all on whatever I decide to do next.**

 **~ Paradigm**


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